Before means earlier in time than something else, or in front of something in position or order.

When your mom says dinner will be ready before six o'clock, she means it will be ready at some point earlier than six. If you finish your homework before your sister finishes hers, you completed yours first. The word helps us understand the sequence of events: what happened first, what came earlier, what needs to happen ahead of something else.

Before can also describe position or order rather than time. If you're standing before the class giving a presentation, you're positioned in front of everyone. In a book, Chapter 3 comes before Chapter 4. When a judge asks someone to appear before the court, they mean to come and stand in front of the judge.

The opposite of before is after. If you eat breakfast before school, you eat lunch after your morning classes. Understanding before and after helps you organize your thoughts, follow directions, tell stories in the right order, and plan your day.